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(Combatting) Gender Dysphoria

It’s hard to imagine hating my body so much that I’d want to remove parts of it – permanently. Many of us have had those “oh god” moments in the dressing room with bad lighting that makes a super model question what she’s been eating. If we nit-pick we can always find something to change, improve or tacitly accept as the reality of genetics.

However, unless you identify as a gender other than what you were assigned at birth (AFAB, AMAB) it is probably impossible to truly empathize with a trans* person who HATES their body. I mean, someone who says, “I DON’T WANT BOOBS AND A VAGINA.” Or, a child who exclaims, “I can’t wait to grow up and have a penis.” I have read various stories about transgender children who do believe that when they grow up they will grow parts that they don’t currently have.

I am going to venture to say that even with the most supportive friends, family, parents, siblings, and community, it is a constant battle to accept what you’ve been born with when all you want are parts that didn’t come as part of the initial package.

Even for those who have managed to come to terms in a “big picture kind of way,” there are days when extra help is not only necessary but required.

Here are several tips to getting past the dysphoria – even if just for another day.

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5 thoughts on “(Combatting) Gender Dysphoria”

Thank you for this post. I was thinking of how to ask other parents what they do to help when dysphoria hits. We found a supportive group of younger kids, but we have only met a few times and it is hard to talk about dysphoria around my child..it seems to make it worse if we ask. I have a Pintrest board to remind me of short hikes we can take when things get bad.
Does being around ultra girly girls affect your son? I think it is almost a dysphoria trigger for mine.